Register Now for the 22nd Annual Iowa Farmers Market Association Workshop

DES MOINES, Iowa (Jan. 20, 2020) – Registration for the 22nd annual Iowa Farmers Market Association Workshop is now open. The event, organized by the Iowa Farmers Market Association with assistance from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, will take place on Feb. 8, 2020. It will be held at the Grace Lutheran Church, 3010 52nd Street, Des Moines, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The workshop brings together farmers market managers and vendors from around the state to share ideas about promoting and growing their markets.

This year's guest speaker is Dr. Alphonso Morales, Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor in the Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Morales will take an in-depth look at the history of markets and describe how markets can position themselves as community assets. 

Other topics that will be covered during the workshop include grant funding opportunities, enhancing markets with food trucks, a look at Farmers Market Coalition metrics in Iowa, updates on the Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), the Iowa Sensitive Crop Registry, Double Up Food Bucks Program, and a question and answer period with staff from the Iowa Food and Consumer Safety Bureau. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will perform scale inspections and licensing and conduct a training session for the FMNP.

New this year, participants have the option to register and pay online through Eventbrite. Attendees can also view the full agenda or download a printable registration form on the IFMA website at iafarmersmarkets.org.

Questions about the event can be directed to Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship State Horticulturist Paul Ovrom at paul.ovrom@iowaagriculture.gov or 515-242-6239.